Lifting mechanism for graphophone-reproducers.



Nil-636,822. Patented Nov. I4, 1899-. T. H. MACDONALD.

LIFTING MECHANISM FOR GRAPHUPHONE BEPRODUGERS.

(Application filed May 26, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Invc21/&ar

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

THOMAS H. MACDONALD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THEAMERICAN GRAPHOPHONE COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTROT OF COLUMBIA.

LIFTING MECHANISM FOR GRAPHOPHONE-REPRODUCER;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,822, dated November1 4, 189%).-

Application filed May 26,1899. Serial No. 718,358. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LTHOMAs H. MACDONALD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, Oonn ecticut, have invented a new and usefulLifting Mechanism for Graphophone-Reproducers, which is fully set forthin the following specification.

This invention relates to graphophones,and more particularly toimprovements in the mechanism for lifting the reproducer. In the presentconstruction (of which Letters Patent 0. 569,290, granted to me October13, 1896, may be taken as an illustration) the reproducer=head isconnected to its carriage by an intermediate tubular piece or neck onwhich it is mounted by a vertical pivot, so as to have lateral play,While the tubular neck is itself secured to the carriage by a horizontalpivot, so as to have vertical play, these pivots providing the universaljoint essential to prac-' tical reproducers. Depending from thisintermediate neck is a projection adapted to be raised by a cannon thestop-ring, thus lifting the reproducer-head. When the reproducer islifted, it is still free to play on its vertical pivot, and has atendency to swing to one side, so that when it is dropped back on thesound-record the reproducer-point does not lie in the center of its playor rest truly on the record. The present invention obviates this defect;and it consists in lifting the reproducer-head itself instead of theintermediate neck and in supporting the head at more than one point.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the annexed drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a partly-broken side elevation of the carriage andadjacent parts. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the reproducer liftedaway from the sound-record, and Fig. 3 is an elevation.

Referring to the drawings,A is the carriage, and A its sleeve sliding onthe slotted tube that surrounds the feed-screw. (Not shown.) A is adepending arm fast to sleeve A and sliding between guides a. O is thestop-ring seated in a slot in the carriage and turning on sleeve A. Theusual Y-shaped piece, seated in arm A and spanning ring C, is pressedupward by a spring and provided on its upper faces with partial nuts (1d for en gaging the feed-screw. On ring 0 is the usual cam c. Thetubular neck E is pivoted at ein the so und-conveying tube of thecarriage, and the reproducer-head F engages neckE by the, substantiallyvertical pivot f, pivots e and f permitting universal movement for thereproducer-head. G is the (cylindrical) sound record. All thisconstruction is old.

Describing now the novel features, a lift ing bar or plunger H isconnected with ring 0, as by pivot c, and slides in a recess in thecarriage, in which it is held by pin hand slot 72/. At the upper end ofplunger His a horizontal pin I, projecting on each side of the plunger.Two substantially parallel arms J 'J, fast on the reproducer-head,project downward, being so located as to straddle theend of plunger Hand be engaged simultaneously by the ends of pin I, as indicated by Fig.2..

K is a catchfor holding head F to neck E.

The operation is as follows: In Fig. l the cam 0 allows partial nuts 01d to engage the feed screw while the reproducer-point is in operativeContact with the sound-record G. When the handle G of the stop-ring O isdepressed, Fig. 2, the thick portion of the ring forces nuts d d downout of engagement with the feed-screw and at the same time the plunger His moved upward, pin I engaging arms J .I, which it pushes up, liftingthe Whole reproducer from the pivot e. The reproducerhead. beingsupported directly and at two points, there is no tendencyfor it toswing to either side, so that when handle 0' is raised and the reverseof the operation just described takes place the reproducer is loweredtruly and accurately upon the sound-record.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction and arrangementshown, as any construction that lifts the reproducer-head itself or thatsupports it at the middle of its lateral play is within the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a graphophone, thecombination with the reproducer-head, with a mounting therefor thatpermits it both vertical and lateral play, of mechanism for lifting thesaid reproducer-head and supporting the same at two points,substantially as described.

2. In a graphophone, the combination of the reproducer-carriage, thetubular neck secured thereto by a horizontal pivot, the reproducer-headengaging said neck by a substantially vertical pivot, and liftingmechanism adapted to hold said head (when lifted) at the center of itslateral play, substantially as described.

3. In a graphophone, the combination with the reprodricer-carriage, theintermediate tubular neck secured thereto by a horizontal pivot, thereprod ucer head engaging said neck by a substantially vertical pivotand the stop-ring seated in the carriage, of a plunger actuated by saidring, two parallel arms depending from said reproducer-head, and atransverse pin in the end of said plunger adapted to engage with saidarms to lift the

